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Pi [VHS] [1999]
 
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Pi [VHS] [1999]

VHS ~ Sean Gullette
4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (40 customer reviews)

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5 new from £2.34 8 used from £2.13 1 collectible from £3.00

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Product details

  • Actors: Sean Gullette, Mark Margolis, Ben Shenkman, Pamela Hart, Stephen Pearlman
  • Directors: Darren Aronofsky
  • Writers: Sean Gullette, Darren Aronofsky, Eric Watson
  • Producers: David Godbout, Eric Watson, Jonah Smith, Katie King
  • Format: Black & White, Dolby, PAL, Surround Sound
  • Language English, Hebrew
  • Classification: 15
  • Studio: Pathe Distribution
  • VHS Release Date: 28 Jun 1999
  • Run Time: 80 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00004CYRF
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 553 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

    Popular in this category:

    #49 in  Video > Horror & Suspense > Thrillers

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
Patterns exist everywhere: in nature, in science, in religion, in business. Max Cohen (played hauntingly by Sean Gullette) is a mathematician searching for these patterns in everything. Yet, he's not the only one, and everyone from Wall Street investors, looking to break the market, to Hasidic Jews, searching for the 216-digit number that reveals the true name of God, are trying to get their hands on Max. This dark, low-budget film was shot in black and white by director Darren Aronofsky. With eerie music, voice-overs, and overt symbolism enhancing the somber mood, Aronofsky has created a disturbing look at the world. Max is deeply paranoid, holed up in his apartment with his computer Euclid, obsessively studying chaos theory. Blinding headaches and hallucinogenic visions only feed his paranoia as he attempts to remain aloof from the world, venturing out only to meet his mentor, Sol Robeson (Mark Margolis), who for some mysterious reason feels Max should take a break from his research. Pi is complex--occasionally toocomplex--but the psychological drama and the loose sci-fi elements make this a worthwhile, albeit consuming, watch. Pi won the Director's Award at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. --Jenny Brown

Synopsis
A man is on the verge of breaking the numerical pattern which forms the basis of the stockmarket fluctuations. As he nears a solution he becomes head-hunted by a number of financial institutions.

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Pi [VHS] [1999]
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Pi [VHS] [1999] 4.0 out of 5 stars (40)
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Customer Reviews

40 Reviews
5 star:
 (24)
4 star:
 (7)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (6)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (40 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
36 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant film from a young cast and crew., 12 Jan 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Pi [DVD] [1999] (DVD)
Darren Aronofsky's first feature is a stunning debut feature and a testament to a formidable young talent. The central character of the film is Maximillian Cohen, played by Sean Gullete, a obsessive and brilliant mathematician and his search for a mathematical pattern in the stock exchange. Don't be put off by this though, as there is very little raw maths in the film, and the little there is I actually found quite interesting. Instead, the film focuses on Cohen's descent into madness and paranoia as the result of an `accident' when he was a child, which (cliche, I know) appears to have caused his talent for mathematics, and the gangster types who are pursuing him for the secret concerning the stock exchange respectively. The film builds up the tension to an unbearably level before the shocking yet perfectly fitting climax.

Helped by a literate and well-researched script, co-written by the director and Eric Watson, as well as a strong and highly-developed central performance from Gullete, Aronofsky has built a claustrophobic, visually intense and innovative thriller. Shot entirely in grainy black and white and reminiscent of David Lynch's own halucinogenic debut feature `Eraserhead', as well as the films of Kubrick and Hitchcock, elements of this film have already had an influence on several directors, most notably Christopher Nolan. Superbly confident for such a young director, Aronofsky is not afraid to repeat himself and uses several recurring visual and aural motifs and segments of film in the manner of a great composer to enhance the insanity of the experience. Every frame is packed with stark imagery and an unmistakable ambience and his use of the camera and of sound to draw the viewer into the mind of Cohen is brilliant. At several points I started to think that it was going to sen me mad, and at one point I had to switch the DVD off for a few minutes and take a break. Not one for the faint-hearted. The thunping electronic soundtrack, provided by the likes of Orbital, Roni Size, Aphex Twin and Massive Attack, is inspired and perfectly fitting.

The extras on the DVD are some of the best I've seen, including my favourite on any disc, deleted scenes. The music video, `PiR squared', captures the feel of the film brilliantly in just under 3 minutes and the trailers are also very good. The obligatory `Behind the Scenes' documentary, complete with voice-over from Aronofsky and Gullete, happily doesn't take itself too seriously. It doesn't aspire to give an `insight into the creative process' so common in these affairs, nor does it become outrageously sycophantic, another common annoyance. It is essentially a light-hearted affair (and the narrators know it), a welcome break after watching the film, with the cast and crew clowning about backstage, although the little in-jokes begin to grate after a while. The director's commentary is very good, and gives an insight into film-making on a budget, and Sean Gullete's commentary is also very good.

In short a worthy winner of the Director's Award at the Sundance festival and a worthy addition to any Film lover's collection.

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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars "I only have eyes for you...", 13 Jan 2006
By L. Davidson (Belfast, N.Ireland) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
This review is from: Pi [DVD] [1999] (DVD)
"Pi" is a remarkable film in many ways. I don't think I've ever seen a film that manages to make mathematics so chic and paranoid reclusivity so cool. "Pi" is shot in grainy monochrome, and is directed pacily by Darren Aronofsky ,using innovative camerawork and an intense techno soundtrack to convey the obsessive-compulsive behaviour of the central character, mathematical genius Max Cohen (Sean Gullette). The storyline is based on Cohen's belief that mathematics underlies every part of existence and that the universe is effectively a large scale computer programme which can be graphed and amended if the correct mathematical formula or numerical sequence is identified. A 216 digit number appears to hold the key to this discovery and Cohen's research into this leads him into a disturbing world of blinding headaches, hallucinogenic visions and harrassment by Kabbalists and Wall Street sharks. "Pi" is a fascinating , intelligent movie that manages to link maths, philosophy, religion and economics into a stylish and exciting thriller. The film is a little on the short side at 70 minutes however. After watching "Pi" , you'll probably wish you'd taken Additional Maths at school when you had the chance.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliantly filmed, beautifully conceptual, but confusing..., 26 Sep 2003
By A Customer
An original, fascinating thriller about a reclusive maths genius (played by Sean Gullette) who becomes obsessed with the notion that everything in the universe can be broken down into mathematics and therefore follows a predictable pattern. This acclaimed black-and-white feature debut from Darren Aronofsky is filled with complex issues (can Gullette's “gift” be used to decipher the true name of God?) and makes arresting use of disorientating camerawork to depict Max's distorted view of the world. But, despite its many virtues, Pi becomes increasingly hard to follow because of an overload of intricate ideas that could baffle even Stephen Hawking.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Very left-field
Great, original DVD, loved every minute of it. It has the depth of Tarkovsky's Solaris, a rare feat for a western film.
Published 3 months ago by O. MADLOM

5.0 out of 5 stars 5 star offbeat movie - but not a crowd pleaser
I recently bought the Pi DVD set - which also includes Requiem - from a seller on Amazon for just £6, which included postage from the USA! Read more
Published 7 months ago by Rob B.

1.0 out of 5 stars This film does an outstanding little mathematical constant a disservice
I waited and waited for the mystery and originality to crop up in this film and then the end credits came up. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Worm-Sign

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
Having recently read Hofstadter's excellent book "Godel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid", I was looking forward to watching PI. Read more
Published 10 months ago by M. Eesa

1.0 out of 5 stars Okay if you like being bored, terrible if you like being jolly.
I unfortunately missed the first 10 minutes of this film fiddling with my colour knob. As it happens, the whole film is in black and white and grey which seems like a waste of... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Ramsey Tupper's Ghost, Lucy Fu...

5.0 out of 5 stars OMG! This will give you a headache!
For £5 this film is a bargain, cheaper then a cinema ticket. Is worth the DVD if u didn't see it!

This film is in black and white and i thought it might be dull... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Mr. S. Ogrady

5.0 out of 5 stars Maths, mysticism and obsession
Taut, thought-provoking, and stylish. A film about maths, mysticism and obsession, powerfully realised on a micro-budget. Read more
Published 21 months ago by PD Waite

1.0 out of 5 stars Boring and cliche
Really dull. Thought it might improve but never did. Over-hyped, pretentious and an utter waste of 80 minutes. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Zen Platypus

4.0 out of 5 stars love or hate
you'll love this film if you like powerful, thought provoking cinema
or
Are interested in the human phsyci as it delves deep (in typical Gullete fashion) into the mind... Read more
Published on 3 Jul 2007 by S. Hayes

5.0 out of 5 stars personal classic
Many times, an interesting idea for a film may crash and burn witout producing anything worth watching. "Pi" is certainly the opposite. Read more
Published on 16 May 2007 by Ricardo Tavares

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